


Hair Dye

by Multi_Fandom_Shipping_Trash



Category: Akatsuki no Yona | Yona of the Dawn
Genre: (anime canon that is), A little, Akatsuki no Yona Chapter 100 Spoilers, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hair Dyeing, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Light Angst, Mama Yoon is longsuffering, Post canon, Why wasn't this done in canon??, but angst snuck in, this was supposed to be fluffy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-30
Updated: 2020-04-30
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:48:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23933350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Multi_Fandom_Shipping_Trash/pseuds/Multi_Fandom_Shipping_Trash
Summary: What if their near death experience made Yona more cautious in regards to her hair?
Relationships: Son Hak & Yona, Yona & Happy Hungry Bunch
Comments: 3
Kudos: 37





	Hair Dye

**Author's Note:**

> This is an oneshot, but I may make a series later on with other (probably) unconnected oneshots.

Yona bites her lip, fidgeting slightly from her seat next to Yoon. Today was the second day they've spent at Ik-soo's Hut and they've been reviewing and improving their plan over the delicious dinner Yoon made.

Yona had come to the resolve to travel around Kouka and fight to protect her people as well as help in any other way possible.

The suffering she's witnessed ever since she was chased out of her home has ripped the happy veil hiding the cruel reality away from her eyes and scarred her deeply. Her heart weeps at the injustice that had been thriving during her Father's Reign and, while she still holds a deep sense of love and loyalty to him, she now knows he was not a good ruler.

No, he was too hesitant and passive to truly lead as great a kingdom as Kouka. And it would have be a great disservice to her people to continue to live in denial; so she made peace with that fact, even though it was difficult.

Even worse was coming to the realisation that Soo-won was right, in a way at least. Kouka _would_ have fallen if her Father was on the throne for much longer, but that doesn't mean she condones his actions of starting a coup. There were much more peaceful options, but the past is the past and there's no changing it anymore.

Now she picks up a weapon with the intention to rectify her Father's mistakes, but also, secretly, to prove to herself that she is a good leader, a good friend and a good _person_. That she's worthy of her title as 'Kouka's Princess'.

Part of doing what she wants is to make sure she doesn't 'draw too much attention', which brings her to the next topic she wants to discuss with her friends.

Yona hesitantly opens her mouth before nerves carve away at the meager courage she had gathered during dinner.

She had been content to have Yoon and Hak finalise the plan since they were the two best at strategizing. She and the others only threw in a few comments, suggestions or counterpoints, trusting them to take everything into consideration and making sure they stayed safe.

Yoon notices her struggle and grips her scratched hand tightly in a show of support, a gesture that doesn't go unnoticed and the men all fall quiet as their attention shifts towards their red haired teenage leader.

"While we were infiltrating the Human Trafficking Ring in Awa," she swallows a little heavily at the reminder of the terrifying night, but she also pulls back her shoulders and raises her chin. She's not a naive, sheltered little girl anymore. "My identity was almost discovered. My red hair is too distinctive and Yang Kumji recognised it. He knew I was Princess Yona, even though we've never met face to face."

Hak frowns, having a feeling he knows just what his childhood friend was getting at. It upsets him that she would ever even need to make such decisions- she should be free of any and all concerns and enjoying all the luxuries the world had to offer. Instead she hides away from her people, traveling day after day without ever taking a day to rest and even sacrificing a portion of whatever precious sleep they can afford to train her body so she's no longer as helpless.

It pains him as much as it also makes pride swell inside.

"What are you trying to say, Yona dear?" Even though he asks that question, Jae-Ha already has a suspicion just where this conversation is going.

"I was thinking of dyeing it." This simple statement caused an uproar, mostly led by Kija.

He just couldn't imagine why his mistress would want to _taint_ such a beautiful crimson color, even less so as it symbolises her status as the Dragon Warriors' Mistress. "Why would you do that?! Your hair is so lo-lovely, Princess! If you're worried about your safety, don't be! It is our Sworn Duty to protect you and the actions that happened on that ship shall never again repeat themselves!"

"I agree with the White Snake, Princess." The costumary sputtering at the demeaning nickname wasn't heard, so focused was the clawed man on the lone woman.

The others made their displeasure known in their own way with Shin-Ah frowning and Jae-Ha reaching out to caress the maroon locks that are the cause of the outburst. He quickly gets smacked by the flat side of Hak's left hand since the former pirate mistakenly thought he'd be safe from Hak's physical reprimands by sitting on the opposite side of his dominant hand.

Unfortunately for the flirty male, Mun-Dok made sure his successor could attack equally well with both sides.

Zeno, however, stayed silent with a grim expression on his face, but also with a understanding gleam shining in his suddenly aged eyes.

Seeing the outburst cause Yona to retreat again, having already been unsure about her decision, Yoon tightens his grasp. She's recently grown to love her red, unruly hair; it's one of the only precious constants she still has in her life. The fact it helped her gather her dear friends her ~~(family)~~ only made her love grow.

Finally Yoon has had enough. The beautiful boy genius holds up his hand and the other men fall silent. "Yona and I had discussed this already in Awa and I agreed with her. To be honest, this group draws a lot of attention, especially you four beasts," he points toward the four suspects, drawing a startled look from Kija and Shin-Ah, and unrepentant looks from both Hak and Jae-Ha. "Yona is the Missing Princess, even if only a few nobles and soldiers have ever seen her face, a lot more citizens know of her red hair. It'll be safer for her and everyone else in general."

She takes courage in Yoon's open show of support, knowing he is a very practical person and she knows everyone else also knows it. He rarely ever lets his emotions influence his decisions; even when he was as desperate as he was on that trading ship, there had been a certain logic to his plan.

"Yoon said he used to dye Ik-Soo's hair darker whenever he went to a town for preaching so he'd draw less attention-"

"Not that helped a lot, the absolute clutz that he is," the boy mutters darkly.

"-And it's not permanent. The dye washes out after a few baths and it would really lessen the risk of getting discovered. The hood may have been enough when it was just us three," she gestures at Hak, Yoon and herself, "But with such a large group we're bound to garner a lot of notice."

"We're already going to be hunted just for traveling around Kouka Kingdom fighting corruption and other enemies, if the Clans knew Yona is the Missing Princess..." Yoon trails off, not quite ready to finish the sentence. He doesn't want to think of what could happen to her and even less of what could happen to the group as a whole.

Jail would be the least of their worries.

Kija, Shin-Ah and Jae-Ha are still reluctant if their expressions are anything to go by. 

Kija, having been taught since he was a mere baby that his Dragon's Blood is something to be proud of, feels disgusted with their current situation- not with Yona, never with Yona, but that she'd have to hide something that is a part of herself . 

Though he still struggles with social interactions, even Shin-Ah can tell this is upsetting Yona which in turn is upsetting him. Yona was the one to free him from that cave ( ~~that oppressive, terrifying darkness~~ ), Yona was the one that told him he shouldn't have to conceal his eyes- and Yona is the one that wants to dye ( ~~hide~~ ) her brilliant red hair.

Jae-Ha sees this as something that'll lock a part of Yona away deep inside and there's nothing the Green Dragon Warrior despises more than restrictions and lost freedom.

Both Hak and Zeno wear unreadable expressions, but after spending months traveling with the Thunder Beast the first three additions could tell he is starting to agree with the Princess.

This more than anything made Kija cave in with Shin-Ah quickly following. "If that is what you think is best, Princess..."

Yona smiles at him, "Thank you, Kija, everyone."

"We were actually planning on doing this on the day we met Zeno, but he threw a wrench into those plans, so we'll do it tomorrow." Zeno grins sheepishly, all but one trace of the strange wisdom disappearing. 

His ancient eyes watch the young woman for another few seconds, evaluating her determination while also pushing down that distant feeling of horror; her crimson hair reminded him of his King and Zeno knows it'll be difficult to watch it be dyed another color.

"Anyways, since I've had time on our way here, I decided to make more dye. Most of you beasts have noticeable hair colors and it'll just draw attention!" Kija cluelessly looks over to Jae-Ha, not thinking of his own radiant white hair. "White, blue and green are not natural hair colors, so we'll need to dye your hair too!"

"W-Wait, what?! B-But-" Kija just about faints. 

Jae-Ha panics, "Now, now, Yoon. No need to get hasty..." He waves his hands in an attempt to calm the pretty boy genius while preparing his dragon leg to jump for freedom. However, Hak sees the telltale shifting and lays a hand on his shoulder, keeping him grounded.

Hak's smug smirk is quickly wiped off by Yoon's next statement, "You too, Thunder Beast. Just covering you glaive isn't enough, we need to make sure no one will connect the dots after just one glance. Even a small change can throw people off by a lot." This time it's Jae-Ha's turn to hold onto his shoulder and prevent him from running away. 

In the end, all protests are ignored.

* * *

Kija sulks, human hand gripping at his head. His once shiny white hair mixed with shimmering silver streaks had been reduced to a dishevelled mess of dirty blonde hair. 

Sitting next to him is Jae-Ha, a traumatised and empty look in his eyes. The alluring green color was destroyed and replaced with a dull black, his flowing locks shortened by a few inches. Seeing a man with hair as long as his used to be is unusual and they're supposed to blend in, so. 

Yoon cut of a few inches. 

Jae-Ha felt his heart drop with every wisp of emerald green hair fell to the ground. 

In a desolate corner sits Shin-Ah, knees hugged close to his chest and hands pressed tightly to his face. 

He hasn't moved a muscle since Yoon dyed his hair a coffee brown; in fact the pretty boy genius had to take the equipment to another location once it became clear that the Blue Dragon Warrior would not move. 

Yoon had dyed the blue hair the first because Shin-Ah tends to be the calmest out of the Four Dragon Warriors, so he figured if the others saw the process they'd be more willing to undergo it. 

Unfortunately, the mask and wig had to be taken off and Shin-Ah went catatonic. 

Now Zeno is trying his best to snap him out of the shock, his mop of tangled, shaggy golden hair cut and primed to the best of Yoon's abilities. They debated dyeing it a less eye catching color, but Zeno refused and told them he knows how to blend in with crowds after having traveled for so long ( ~~they don't know he means centuries of lonely roads and blurred faces~~ ).

Yoon, exhausted after the hours of struggling to wrangle and control the exotic beasts, had given in and wandered off to cook dinner. 

Yona stares into her reflection in the small, banged up handmirror held in her left hand, the right coming up to touch the black curls. Her hand wanders over to her face and she watches, feeling almost detached, as the reflection copies the movement. 

It's a strange feeling to see such a major difference after an entire lifetime of seeing the same thing- in this case her bright red hair. 

She tilts her head to the left and a strand of dyed hair falls in front of her wide, purple eye. She blinks, slightly startled, before tilting her head in the other direction. 

She only realises she fell into a trance when Hak gently lays a scarred hand on her shoulder and she's jolted out if it. 

He looks at her through his now dark brown bangs, steely blue gaze concerned. "Are you alright, Princess?" 

She lowers the hand holding the mirror and smiles up at her lifelong companion. 

"No, but I will be." 

**Author's Note:**

> So, um, about the dye thing. I don't really understand why it's not canon other than for Aesthetic, since Yona doesn't really want to catch the attention of the Generals and Soo-won. I think she would've realised just how dangerous her hair color is, especially after the whole Yan Kumji deal. I mean, I guess she also never tried to actively hide from the Generals/Soo-won more than just avoiding direct confrontation, but in this fic/maybe future series she'll take her fugitive status quite a bit more serious.


End file.
